Elderly Homeowner Scammed Into Paying $4,800 To Have Snow Removed From Roof

As many of you have either read, or are experiencing, this winter has been a nasty one for snow. Many areas are recording record snow levels, and many communities have had a building fail when the snow load becomes to heavy for the roof. An acquaintance once mentioned to me that depending on water content, the snow on the roof of a standard home can weigh 38,000 lbs. Homeowners therefore may be concerned as snow builds up on the roof of their homes and scammers offer to remove the snow for a high price.

One homeowner in Newburyport, MA. was out in front of his home shoveling off his driveway. A trio of workers, driving a dump truck with a bobcat attached stopped in front of the home. One of the trio asked the homeowner if he wanted help clearing his walkway, which the homeowner mistakenly thought was going to be for free. The trio convinced the home owner that his roof also needed snow removed and when done presented the man with a bill for $4,800 dollars.

The man stated he didn’t have that much cash at home and the trio were kind enough to drive the man to his local bank. He paid the men the $4,800 and returned home. The elderly homeowner called police who knew exactly who the crooks were, since they have dealt with these scammers before. The crooks returned the money only keeping $250 for their services.

Beside the obvious irony that two of these men are named ‘Snow’, what is also known about these people is that they go from state to state applying their trade. The trio have previously been arrested in California for another of their favorite scams. This scam involves sealing of asphalt driveways. The trio uses a watered down solution which does little except to make the driveway look black but does little to protect the asphalt from the elements.

If one is confronted by a group that stop in front of your home, you may wish to mention that you are going to call the cops. This may be enough to scare these scammers away.

I would follow-up with a real call to police to have these people stopped, identified and advised to leave your neighborhood.